Ambassador of the Month February 2013 - Lorella Campi Gandini

Every month Project Playground wants to highlight a special person that has made an impact on us. Perhaps due to something they have done for PPG or for others; because he/she has a big heart and has touched us in some way. By having this person answering four questions, we hope to share his/her knowledge and awareness and thus inspire others.

Every member of the Project Playground family are individuals who are united in their strive towards, and belief in, possibilities where improvements, big and small, are real.We know for sure that their existence in this world has an impact, and we dont want it to surpass unnoticed.

When Project Playground was just visions she decided to get on board when we asked her to be our board member in the South African trust. She believed in us. Since that day Lorella Campi Gandini has become more than a board member. Through her true engagement for our children she has helped us in several ways and she visit us in Langa at least once a year. We are amazed by Lorellas instinctive feel and warm heart and we are truly grateful that she is a member of our family.

In what way do you think Project Playground stands out from other organizations?
I do not really have much experience about  humanitarian organizations, but what I think is one the most important actions of PPG in succeeding in reaching the goals is that the co-founders have been able to put together and incredibe staff, the perfect staff that share the mission of PPG.

In a dream scenario, how would you like to see Project Playground develop?
I would like to see Project Playground becoming a model to be established worldwide, building playgrounds for children in other underdeveloped areas all over the world.

You’ve been to the center several times, how do you think the center has developed from the first time you were there compared to the last time you were there?
One of the things that sincerely I admire at Project Playground is the staff, coming back every year and finding out that the same staff that was there the year before is always still there has a lot of meanings, the dedication and the affection of the staff to PPG is very important for the positive results of Project Playground and its growth. Also the POW is such a great step in the development of PPG, something that it was on a piece of paper  the first time I came to Langa and when I came the second  time it was there at the playground with 6 children, now 10, and an amazing staff.

What is your best memory from your visit to our center?
I have so many great memories taken from the center and placed in my heart and , it is a long list, among them I can recall the Impilo project as one of the best: watching the children after an afternoon full of activities and then at 6 pm going to get their meal while singing, looking at them while they were entering in the room in such good order, getting their plates and so politely eating it, and all of them in perfect order, the little ones and the grown up, all of them enjoying this moment, oh yes that one hour was unforgettable.